1971 Map of Arctic D-5

About this map

Ivishak River and the Echooka River dominate this 1971 study of the Alaskan North Slope, captured just as interest in the region's resource potential was intensifying. The map, based on 1970 aerial photography, reveals an unpeopled landscape of sharp elevation changes and braided river systems. The Bureau of Land Management predetermined land lines for this unsurveyed territory, which includes distinctive landmarks like Mt Annette and the secluded Porcupine Lake in the southeast corner. The terrain is marked by prominent peaks such as Echo, illustrating the isolation of the Brooks Range foothills during the early 1970s. This USGS record provides a baseline for the region before any modern industrial footprints or trails were established in this specific quadrangle.